BALE FIRES MADRID PAST BARCELONA TO WIN COPA DEL REY

Gareth Bale scored a
stunning solo goal to
earn Real Madrid a
dramatic 2-1 victory
over Barcelona in the
Copa del Rey final on
Wednesday night.
After Angel Di Maria's first-half opener was
cancelled out by Marc Bartra, the Wales
international stormed down the left wing -
running half the length of the pitch before
poking the ball past Blaugrana goalkeeper Jose
Pinto with just five minutes to play.
Bale's outstanding run - which started close to
the touchline - saw him leave Bartra for dead
with his pace, before he produced a composed
finish to cap an outstanding performance, as
Madrid won the trophy for a 19th time.
Neymar, who struggled throughout the 228th
edition of the famous derby, then hit the post
with two minutes left as Barcelona fell to a
defeat that signals the end to a disastrous seven
days for the Catalan giants and their under-fire
coach Gerardo Martino.
First, they were knocked out of the Champions
League quarter-finals, with Atletico Madrid's 1-0
second-leg win sealing a 2-1 aggregate triumph
last Wednesday, before suffering a 1-0 loss at
Granada on Saturday that appeared to end their
Liga title defence.
Their latest setback means that they are now
likely to finish without a major piece of
silverware for the first season since 2007-08,
one in which then coach Frank Rijkaard was
sacked.
For Madrid, the victory marks Carlo Ancelotti's
first trophy in charge of the club and he will be
hoping to add to that with success in both La
Liga and the Champions League.
As expected, Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo
was absent as he continues to battle knee and
thigh problems, but Sergio Ramos recovered
from a neck injury to start for Ancelotti's side.
Barcelona coach Martino had hinted that Carles
Puyol could return from a knee injury in the
build-up, but he left the captain on the bench,
as fellow centre-back Bartra returned from a
hamstring strain.
They could have done with Puyol's experience in
the early stages, as Madrid made a fast start,
with Bale flashing an early effort past the right-
hand post.
The tension was predictably high - Isco was
booked within three minutes for a challenge on
Neymar - and Los Blancos continued to pour
forward, with Bale's second shot in as many
minutes going behind for a corner.
Di Maria , so damaging in the last meeting
between the sides, then broke the deadlock in
the 11th minute, finishing with aplomb following
a quick counterattacking move that involved
Isco, Bale and Karim Benzema.
The Argentine fired an angled left-footed effort
through the legs of Jordi Alba and at Barcelona
shot-stopper Pinto, who found the strike too hot
to handle and was unable to stop the ball from
creeping into the bottom corner.
Barcelona's first real chance came after Pepe
and Neymar had clashed, and were booked, as
Alba nodded straight at Madrid's Iker Casillas,
and the defender then got back to superbly
block Isco’s effort after Bale's clever pass.
Lionel Messi shot wide from 20 yards just before
the break - in which Adriano replaced Alba - but
Barca were still sluggish when play resumed, as
Bale shot into the side netting before firing over
six minutes later.
The introduction of Pedro, for the ineffective
Cesc Fabregas, did little to stem the flow as a
Benzema strike was touched onto the outside of
the post by Pinto, before Bale had a goal
correctly disallowed for offside after the
goalkeeper had charged off his line from a
corner.
Pinto was ahead of play, meaning just one
defender was between Bale and the goal, and less
than 60 seconds later the ball was in the back of
Madrid's net, with the effort counting on this
occasion.
Bartra was responsible, with the young defender
losing his marker, Pepe, and rising highest to
head Xavi's 68th-minute corner into the net. It
was a perfectly placed header, but parity lasted
just 17 minutes.
When Luka Modric hit the outside of the post,
the game had seemed destined for extra-time
but Bale was on hand to steal the show.
The Welshman was initially impeded by Bartra
but showcased his speed to storm ahead of his
marker and from there the defender, reluctant to
foul the winger, could only watch on as Pinto
was beaten with a toe-poked finish.
There was still time for Barca to push for a
leveller, but Neymar lacked the necessary
composure when presented with a chance right
at the end, firing onto the post after he had got
in behind the Madrid defence, as Madrid
celebrated a famous win.